Tag: Maine Equal Justice Partners

RadioActive 5/24/12

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice
Program Topic: The Maine legislature’s most recent cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services programs, including MaineCare.

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Maine legislature passes further budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These include the elimination of 14,500 low income parents from MaineCare, who have income between 100-133% of the poverty level, and all 19 and 20 year olds under 150% of the poverty level. This effects an additional 7,000 Mainers. Both these measures and cuts to the Medicare Savings Program are currently in violation of the federal Affordable Care Act. The budget also includes cuts to the Drugs for the Elderly Program, and to the Fund for a Healthy Maine. Cuts to the latter include a $2 million reduction in state funding for Head Start, a $2 million cut to the Child Care Subsidy Program, $2.6 million to the Maine Families Home Visiting Program, and funding cuts for Family Planning and dental services.
b) Governor LePage asked for, and still plans to pursue much deeper cuts in DHHS spending. Press secretary Adrienne Bennett articulates more of the goals and beliefs behind the Governors pursuit to diminish government spending on health and human service programs, particularly MaineCare. This includes discussion on the governor’s latest controversial statement, to the Maine GOP convention, that those on government programs should “get off the couch and get a job.”
c) Appropriations Committee member Rep. Rotundo says that recent revenue re-projection numbers negated the needs for the DHHS cuts. She also says, that tax cuts also passed in the supplemental budget bill, are unfunded, causing a loss of revenue of a half a billion dollars, which will have to be made up for in future state budgets.

Guests:
A) Ana Hicks, senior policy analyst, Maine Equal Justice Partners www.mejp.org
B) Adrienne Bennett, press secretary for Governor Paul LePage
C) Maine State Representative Peggy Rotundo (D- House District 79), Appropriations Committee House Democrat Lead (four Republicans legislators, leadership unavailable)

Call In Program: no

RadioActive 2/9/12

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice
Broadcast Time:4-4:30PM

Program Topic: Maine Appropriations Committee Alternative Budget Cuts to Department of Health and Human Services programs, including MaineCare

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Appropriations Committee has approved decreasing eligibility for MaineCare coverage for adults with children down to 133% from 200% of the poverty level.
b) The new budget proposal would freeze MaineCare enrollment for childless adults. 16,000 Mainers on the waiting list will no longer be eligible.
c) Though the Appropriations Committee approved $120 million in cuts, instead of the $220 million in cuts LePage asked for, $80 million in proposed cuts ti the Department of Health and Human Services budget for 2013 are slated to be taken up later this month.

Guests:
A )Ana Hickes, Senior Policy Analyst at Maine Equal Justice Partners : www.mejp.org, www.reasonablesolutions.com
B) Cullen Ryan, executive director of Community Housing of Maine : www.chomhousing.org

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Engineer: Meredith DeFrancesco

RadioActive 1/26/12

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Broadcast Time:4-4:30PM

Program Topic: Governor LePage’s Proposed Budget Cuts to Department of Health and Human Services programs, including MaineCare

Key Discussion Points:
a) We look at efforts to uncover the coordinated crackdown on Occupy Wall Street encampments across the country, through the US Conference of Mayors.
b) We look at restrictions to those on unemployment insurance, under the proposed bill LD 1725, “An Act to Strengthen the Unemployment Insurance Laws and Reduce Fraud”.
c) And, we check in on the status of the massive cuts to low income social service and healthcare programs, proposed by Governor LePage. 65,000 people could be cut from MaineCare The Appropriations Committee has already agreed to cut funding for “Wrap Around Maine”, which has helped struggling youth turn their lives around.

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, director of The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund : www.justiceonline.org , www.justiceonline.org/owsfoia
B) Jack McKay, director of Food and Medicine : www.foodandmedicine.org
C )Ana Hickes, Senior Policy Analyst at Maine Equal Justice Partners : www.mejp.org, www.reasonablesolutions.com

Call In Program: No
Political Broadcast: No

Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Engineer: Meredith DeFrancesco